Agility UK, the health and safety and employment law specialists, have opened a new office and training venue on Broad Street, Sheffield.

The new office will serve as a health and safety training and employment law training venue for businesses in and around the local area. It will be staffed by specialists in the field who will aim to provide comprehensive advice, support and training courses to clients in and around Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region.

The opening of a Sheffield branch affords Agility UK further scope to expand its existing client database and signals the launch of a new campaign to establish further offices in locations across the UK.

Keith Townsend, Managing Director of Agility UK, commented on the company’s plans for expansion, both in Sheffield and in further potential regions across the UK: “Our extensive market research has shown that businesses like to be supported by firms who operate in and around their local area. However, we have also found that those same businesses are reluctant to use sole traders, and this is often because those sole traders aren’t support by the same back up and indemnities as a larger, national corporation.”

Townsend added: “To help combat this potential conflict of interests, Agility UK is offering the services of an established nationwide business, specialising in the delivery of comprehensive health and safety and employment law solutions, but with an interest in operating on a regional basis. This gives our clients the benefit of a personalised, local presence while also offering the back up and infrastructure of a truly national organisation.”

As part of a wider group of companies offering a variety of tailored solutions for businesses, Agility UK will be sharing its new premises with partner company, Windmill Leasing. Together, the companies will offer comprehensive service solutions around health and safety and employment law advice and training courses, as well as specialist business car leasing and fleet management.

Agility UK is active in implementing a strategic plan to become a truly national provider of tailored solutions with a local presence. As such, there are plans to explore the potential opening of a new regional office in the south of England later in 2011.

The biggest complaint about most management training efforts is that they are not measurable or quantifiable. There is often no way to know if an organization is creating effective leaders or not. Indeed all that often happens after many such efforts is that the people in the classes fade back into the company and disappear.

This can be avoided by applying effective leadership tests. Leadership testing involves identify potential leaders and surveying those who have taken the leadership training to see if it is effective. One of the best tests is to see the graduates of past management training efforts have actually taken on management roles.

Another is to survey them and see if they are actually putting the techniques, strategies and skills they learned in the training sessions to work. At the same time you can ask if those methods actually work or not and what results they have achieved in the real world.

If no discernable effect is detected you can assume that the training efforts have failed. If the results are negative you can also assume that you have failed. Yet you may also determine that some techniques work and some don’t.

This way you can decide which techniques are appropriate and which are not. In some cases, you may learn that only part of your training has actually worked. In others you may see that it has come close and failed. You might also learn which training is appropriate to your organization and its people or not.

A final leadership test that you can apply is to do an employ survey asking what leadership or management skills are lacking in your organization you might be surprised. You might learn that managers are not communicating with workers or that managers are unsure of what to do.

Once you do that you can redesign your training efforts in order to produce the results that you actually want.

Management training is seen by business owners as the best way to develop young stalwarts that show promise into fitting leaders for tomorrow.

Any good and responsible workplace knows the value of a few good leaders. There is a standard notion that says only a few good leaders are ever really born. With this idea in mind, management training has then been developed to make leaders instead of waiting for them to be born into this world. More and more corporations are beginning to realize the benefits of investing in a good management training program.

Good leaders come and go and to keep an organization running smoothly, there must be someone waiting in line to become the next big thing. Experts agree that it is better to train someone who is already immersed in the office culture or has been a long-term employee than taking a risk with someone completely new. It is also relatively cheaper to train an existing employee than to hire a brand new one for top management position.

Other benefits of sending an existing employee to management training include: loyalty on the part of the employee to the company, a solid foundation built on trust between the company and the employee and lesser risk over-all. If a company is looking to build someone up to be its next manager or supervisor, it is best to do a company evaluation to find out if anyone on their payroll is a good fit or shows promise.

Qualities top executives must look for in finding an individual to train are: competence in work and habits, good moral conduct and standing, an honest and open behavior, dedication to the job, a willingness to learn, enthusiasm and good energies. These are some basic qualities that a young leader must possess that would make him fit to undergo management training. A good management training program will sharpen one’s skills and make him fit to be a future leader.

Some early management training can already be done by supervisors upon spotting a rare bird in the flock. By way of mentoring, inspiring and teaching this person, older and more experienced employees are already building up his confidence and bringing out the spirit of a leader in him. It always pays to find time to set promising leaders aside and mentoring them. Any workplace can benefit from a true leader and the effects can be beyond imagination.

One of the most important things about being a leader is being able to take honest feedback through employee surveys. While opening up oneself to the criticism and judgment of others is no small feat, it is essential in improving one’s growth as a leader.

A leader may strive to have all the qualities expected of him in order to set a good example in the workplace. He may be inspiring, challenging and he may possess a good humor. He may be punctual, sets meetings at the right time and he may delegate tasks well. In his mind he may be living up to the best of his abilities and to the expectations of his colleagues and subordinates. But this is only in his mind.

A good leader is willing to open himself up to the criticism of those around him, especially those that he works with. Employee surveys are one way to gauge the true effectiveness of a boss or manager. They are questionnaires usually given out at different intervals of a fiscal year. Everyone from the delivery man up to the accountants and the top sales manager are required to fill in a survey that may pertain to a particular person holding a position of management.

Do keep in mind that these employee surveys are in no way meant to attack a person’s character. The questions that are normally listed down on these have to do with the abilities and qualities of the said person in relation to the workplace. Most of the questions serve to examine whether he is in conduct with the workplace code and employee handbook. There will also be queries on whether he is performing his tasks well or living up to his job title. These questionnaires are usually fuss-free and should be done in an hour or less.

A survey conducted on the effectiveness of employee surveys showed that companies that have integrated these into their development strategies have seen a marked difference in their top management’s performance. The rationale behind this is individuals tend to perform better when they know that they will be evaluated afterwards. It is also the concept that makes shows reality shows very compelling to watch. As the contestants know they are being watched, they tend to put on their best foot forward

All in all, employee surveys should be given a chance by all workplace environments looking for an increase in office productivity and top level management performance.

When you ask most workers: what is an employee survey? They will probably answer a waste of time, the boss will never pay attention it so why should I fill it out? Unfortunately, most workers are absolutely right when they give this answer.

Most organizations do not pay any attention to employee surveys until it is too late. Managers will send out the survey, collect it and store it away never to be read. Many employees will simply ignore the survey or worse give the false answer they know the boss wants to see.

This is a tragic waste of resources because employee surveys are one of the best ways for increasing productivity, employee engagement, employee morale and the effectiveness of the organization.

Employee Surveys for Effective Human Resources

A well-prepared employee survey can help a human capital team identify an organization’s major human resources problems. It can show them what they need to improve.

For example, an employee survey can help human capital identify the true causes of low morale or high turnover. A manager may believe that low salaries are the cause of this, when the real cause is poor morale. That means the organization could avoid a costly salary rise and instead focus on the real cause of the problem.

A survey could also tell human resources by how much salaries or benefits should be increased. It can also identify particular gripes of employees, for example high costs of commuting or frustration with the dress code.

When management is willing to pay attention to them, employee surveys can be a powerful tool for change. They can also be used to set smart goals that the human capital team can implement to solve problems.

A group of workers could feel frustrated because nobody is getting the bonus. Management could use this to improve morale by restructuring the bonus so workers can achieve it. Another complaint could be a lack of time off, management could improve morale by adding days off.

Employee surveys can be a cheap and effective human resources tool, if your organization takes advantage of them.

Leadership training is vital to all organizations, no matter what industry or field they operate in. Corporations, companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies all need visionary leadership.

In today’s world of limited budgets and dwindling resources, every organization needs creative and effective leadership. The best way to create that leadership is to develop it from within. Bringing in a hired gun leader is only a stopgap solution that will not address long term problems.

The only way to develop a healthy and effective organization is through leadership development. Effective leadership development involves far more than just management training. It involves a sustained program of mentorship, training and continuing education for promising employees.

Only organizations that develop effective leadership teams can survive. Those entities that do not invest in leadership training and development will not be able to effectively compete for resources and funding. Nor will they be able in the face of the many other challenges in today’s world.

Change management is impossible without effective leaders to implement the changes. The first step in a change management strategy must be to implement an effective leadership development strategy. Without leadership, change is impossible and smart goals are nothing but words on paper.

Organizations must start their leadership development efforts as soon as possible because the challenges facing organizations are growing in complexity everyday. Resources are dwindling and funds are drying up but the problems are growing worse.

Visionary leadership is more critical than ever in today’s world. Every organization needs it and more importantly a strategy to develop it.

HARD Goals, a new book by Leadership IQ CEO and author Mark Murphy, has been selected by The Washington Post as a top 5 business title of the week. The top 5 list is based one-third on Amazon sales ranking, one-third on rating and one-third on customer downloads. HARD Goals examines why most people never achieve their goals and how a HARD Goals approach (goals that are heartfelt, animated, required and difficult) to goal setting can help everyone reach their objectives.

The Washington Post review reinforces the HARD Goal view that the reason most people fail to achieve their goals is because they set goals that are so mediocre that they don’t pay attention to them, take them seriously or even remember them. The review also states that leadership consultant Mark Murphy suggests a vastly different approach: Make your goals as difficult as possible, and set objectives that are absolutely essential to your continued wellbeing. Such ambitious goals actively engage you and focus your mind, says Murphy.

In addition to HARD Goals, Murphy is the author of other best-selling books, includingHundred Percenters, Generation Y and the New Rules of Management , and The Deadly Sins of Employee Retention. His articles, studies and analysis of leadership trends appear in national publications including Fortune, Forbes and Business Week, news networks including ABC, CBS and Fox, and he lectures to organizations and universities including H arvard Business School and Yale University.

Agility UK has launched a new website to promote its health and safety and employment law training and advisory services to businesses across the UK.

Indicating significant progress for the organisation, the launch of the new website better promotes the company’s range of cost-effective, flexible and solution-focused health and safety and employment law services.

In a triangulated initiative between a web development team, a leading digital agency, and a design agency, the new website offers refreshed branding, improved usability and more comprehensive information regarding each key area of service provision.

The website is also built upon strong SEO foundations and as such will enable further exposure for the business through more prominent positioning on the main search engines for targeted keywords.

Managing Director of Agility UK, Keith Townsend, commented on the launch of the new website: “The new website provides a better platform for Agility UK to showcase its range of services to prospective customers and to advertise a wide range of employment law and health and safety training courses across the UK. It is more attractive and user friendly than our previous website and provides a wealth of additional information to the reader.

“Across the Agility UK Group we have made a significant investment in online marketing of late in terms of time and money and we expect to receive a return on investment through better exposure on Google and an increase in conversion rates. Pleasingly, we have already seen some fantastic results with health and safety courses and seminar bookings in particular.”

Through the website users will be able to browse interactive training course calendars, offering clients easy access to when and where health and safety and employment law training courses are taking place nationwide. Courses can be booked online using a simple form or via the contact details displayed throughout the website.

Coinciding with the launch of the new website are the launches of the new Agility UK Facebook and Twitter pages, as the company’s marketing expands into the social web, and the launch of the new Windmill Leasing website – the company’s business car leasing division.

Agility UK now has a viable platform to syndicate news, blogs and key services within the online arena.

EKU’s online Bachelor’s in Occupational Safety arms current safety professionals and those interested in pursuing a safety career with the skills and knowledge to succeed within this evolving industry. The program’s comprehensive curriculum provides students with a solid safety foundation including: OSHA inspections, education and training, workers compensation, and auditing.

The new EKU occupational safety program provides students with relevant, real- world learning applications, from industry-leading faculty members. EKU’s faculty members have many years of safety experience. They incorporate that experience into the courses by directly applying theories to practice. Additionally, the professors use cutting-edge teaching tactics in the courses. For example, they have incorporated videos of construction safety and OSHA inspections into coursework for online students.

“The faculty truly makes this degree program stand out. They give a strong foundation and enhance the curriculum with their industry experiences, which makes our graduates untouchable,” said Program Coordinator, Dr. Michael Schumann.

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU),http://safetymanagement.eku.edu, is proud to announce the launch of a new website hosting all of the online degree programs available through the College of Justice and Safety. The new website will be a resource of information for current and prospective students, as well as industry professionals. Vital information on a suite of online programs including Bachelor’s programs in Fire Protection Administration, Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology, and Occupational Safety and a Master’s program in Safety, Security and Emergency Management is presented throughout the website. Working professionals within the fire and safety industries will also benefit from the information on this website, including fire resources, safety resources, and a collection of course videos.

In conjunction with the new website, EKU will also launch social media. Check for updates and current news on:

Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Justice & Safety holds the designation of being a Program of Distinction in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and one of the foremost institutions of learning and research in the fields of justice and safety in the nation and world.

Small-business owners often have to wear multiple hats: boss, human resources representative and payroll administrator, just to name a few. Thanks to National PEO, small-business owners can remove that last hat by outsourcing their company’s payroll administration. National PEO leads the payroll outsourcing services industry, offering payroll administration, tax payment and filing, online payroll entry, and EVerify, among other payroll-related tasks. The Scottsdale, Arizona, company helps small-business owners across the country save both time and money, as payroll administration is neither revenue-producing or an effective use of their time.

National PEO allows small-business owners to do what they do best: Run their companies. It does this by taking over all payroll services, including the important task of verifying work eligibility of employees. To determine whether or not a small business will benefit from payroll outsourcing services, including EVerify, National PEO does the following:

Performs a detailed analysis of the small business’ payroll operations and delivers an action plan showing the potential savings of time and money.

Outlines the many payroll outsourcing services National PEO provides, including:

Input Options – National PEO clients can decide how they want to upload payroll information. They can opt for WebPay, an online payroll entry solution, or they can fax, call, email or drop off their payroll information to be input.

Direct Deposit – Among National PEO’s payroll outsourcing services, is this versatile option: Small-business owners can give their employees the option of direct deposit, whether into one account or multiple, or via a pay card.

PTO Tracking – Perhaps one of the most important of National PEO’s payroll outsourcing services, this system accurately tracks employee sick, vacation and personal time based on the policies of the small business.

About National PEO: When it comes to payroll outsourcing services, National PEO leads the industry thanks to its successful leadership and innovative practices. To schedule an interview with a member of the National PEO team, call John Rico at 480-429-8098. To get more information about the payroll outsourcing services the company provides, including Everify, go to nationalpeo.com or call (480) 429-8098 or toll free (888) 221-0945.

National PEO, a leading PEO (Professional Employer Organization) is pleased to announce the introduction of NPower, a free and environmentally friendly program that eliminates paper pay stubs in favor of online payroll access. Besides the “green” aspect of the new program, employees and employers stand to benefit in other ways, including on-demand online access, up-to date information on benefits and the ability to send messages electronically within Npower.

National PEO has gained a reputation for leading the PEO (Professional Employer Organizer) industry through innovative practices and the company’s latest program -NPower- continues this tradition. NPower is the latest in a long line of progressive PEO services introduced by National PEO and one that is bound to strike a chord with employers and employees alike. Instead of receiving printed pay stubs, employees of participating companies have live access to their information online. By eliminating paper and printer supplies from the payroll equation, NPower helps to reduce pressure on companies to make their operations more environmentally responsible. No more pay stubs thrown in the trash or lengthy payroll reports to print and fax. Yet, where other “green” measures tend to come with a measure of inconvenience to those companies that adopt them, NPower represents a tremendous improvement over typical payroll operations.

Human Resources departments are always under pressure to make deadlines and deal with various critical issues, but a considerable amount of time is often lost due to having to respond to frequent questions from employees. National PEO’s NPower removes some of this stress by making the information employees frequently ask about available to them online. How much Paid Time Off (PTO) do they have remaining? Can they view last week’s pay stub? What about information on their 401k? This information and much more is available to employees online 24/7, so they can log in and review it at their leisure instead of having to request the information from a HR representative. The information available through NPower is live and accurate. This means faster answers for employees and fewer distracting questions for the Human Resources department to deal with. Employers can also send messages to employees about benefits programs or other subjects that might be appropriate. NPower truly is one of those PEO services that benefits employer and employee equally. Add in the “green” element, the fact that it’s a free program and you can understand why NPower is a winner.

In response to demand from companies in a wide range of industries, National PEO recently announced it has begun offering OSHA Outreach safety training classes. Already known for providing a wide range of professional services to employers, including assisting companies operating in Arizona Everify their employees (as per the Arizona Legal Workers Act), National PEO offers 23 safety training classes based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.

In a competitive business environment, Human Resources functions are often impacted, leaving many companies short of the knowledge and personnel required to keep up with legislative and regulatory requirements. A good example is the Arizona Legal Workers Act, legislation that requires companies in that state to electronically verify (or E-Verify) eligibility of their workers. Noncompliance can lead to suspension or even loss of the company’s business license. National PEO quickly offered an Arizona Everify program that processes employees on behalf of the company, audits I-9s and the employee filing system as well as updating management on any changes to federal or state laws as they concern employees and immigration.

Following the recent drastic announcements by the Sentencing Guidelines Council that advises Courts in the award of punishments as the consequences for firms contravening health and safety legislation, Tom Morton, CEO of Argyll, the UK’s largest lone worker service provider, advises employers how they can safely mitigate corporate risks using existing technology.

In addition to robust management processes, the HSE recommends that managing the safety of a workforce isolated from their colleagues requires efficient communications to be maintained between the employee and their employer.

Pragmatic employers already acknowledge that it is almost impossible to continuously supervise lone workers manually and that software based lone worker solutions are widely available and can operate 24 hours. These solutions are capable of being accessed via standard mobile phones, smart-phones and specialized lone worker devices and so it is possible to meet the minimum requirement of the HSE guidance and communicate regularly with your lone workers. These software systems enable employers to manage their corporate exposure to health and safety risks and release valuable management time to focus on core business activities rather than day-day health & safety administration.

New ‘specialized’ automatic warning devices, which operate if specific signals are not received from the lone worker (eg man-down devices) are widely available but employers should guard against the temptation for widespread deployment since not all devices currently available will offer compliance with the minimum features recommended within the published lone worker industry standard BS8484. Fundamentally these type of devices are not always required by every lone worker within the organization and any decision to deploy highly specialized equipment could be costly. In real terms this should only be considered once the organisation’s risk assessment identifies a specific risk or system improvement requirement and where mitigation of the risk cannot be achieved using other equipment or assets.

Argyll, the UK leader in lone worker safety introduces ‘Blac’ for Blackberry devices and ‘Blu’ for Windows Mobile devices, two new Health & Safety software applications that are specifically designed to discreetly monitor those at risk, remove the need to deploy expensive ‘specialised’ devices for those personnel deemed at lower risk, maximize the employer return on investment case through significant added value services and still comply with legislation.

Following feedback from clients, Argyll has recognised that many employers are now deploying mobile technology such as Blackberry and Windows Mobile devices in a bid to improve productivity for their remote workers. Argyll has also recognised that employees do not always require, or desire, to carry two devices and that in the current economic climate, where employers are striving to keep costs under control, employers are keen to reduce the numbers of sim cards being deployed.

Argyll, the UK’s largest lone worker service provider, is providing free links and advice for any organisations seeking to control ‘lone working’ which is highlighted by the HSE as one of the highest risk exposures for prosecution under the CMCHA. The information is available via the company’s website and enables employers to properly understand the current legislation and contains helpful advice and guidance to assist them fulfil their duty of care for lone workers.

Against the backdrop of industrial tragedies in Virginia and Louisiana that together took the lives of over 40 workers, employee safety and compliance with related regulations is once again a hot-button issue, particularly among small and medium sized businesses which might not have the needed expertise within their own HR departments. National PEO, one of the nation’s leading HR consulting firms, has announced that it now offers safety compliance services tailored to meet the needs of some of the largest business sectors in the country, including: manufacturing, health care, food service and construction.

National PEO’s reputation among Human Resources consulting firms is built on years of experience, including 30 years combined among senior management and over a decade in operation. In fact, company founders helped to write legislation governing the PEO (Professional Employer Organization) industry. By offering comprehensive safety compliance services to its clients, National PEO removes the barriers to one of the most complex and difficult to implement components of a comprehensive Human Resources strategy. Workers are protected and companies benefit from reduced exposure to industrial accidents and safety code violations.

While other HR consulting firms offer programs to help companies comply with applicable safety regulations, none offers the comprehensive approach offered by National PEO. Included in its program is a safety inspection of a client’s premises conducted in the same methodology and approach employed by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), complete with written report and photographs. In addition, a safety audit can be performed, which goes into additional detail including a review of the client’s existing safety policy (as well as any Hazardous Material management plan), review of OSHA logs for the past five years, review of any corporate safety training programs and a detailed review of any accident reports along with supporting documentation. After analysis, the client is offered assistance in rectifying any oversights and in complying with OSHA regulations. This might include consultation in developing a comprehensive corporate safety program complete with safety training classes for employees. While the expertise needed to accomplish compliance may not be available within a smaller company’s own HR department, National PEO has the experience to offer safety compliance services that fill the gap. National PEO also offers the OSHA 10 and 30 hour outreach classes for both the general industry and construction industry.

Established in 1999, Arizona-based National PEO is one of the oldest and most experienced hr Consulting Firms in the US. Its executive team boasts a combined 30 years in the Human Resources industry. National PEO offers a wide range of HR services including payroll, benefits, recruiting, training and development, IT, labor law compliance, worker’s compensation and Safety Compliance Services . For further information about National PEO or its safety compliance program, please contact John Rico using the following contact information.

National PEO, a leading provider of PEO services in Arizona and across the nation, offers an Arizona Everify service. As new regulations and laws governing businesses are established, the process of running a business grows increasingly complicated. Small to mid-sized businesses often find that back office duties take up more time than revenue-producing activities. The Arizona Everify regulation is another in a long list of chores that businesses must comply with. With no end in sight of regulations and back office duties, more and more businesses are turning to the professional HR Consulting services of National PEO.

The E-Verify program is an internet based system operated by The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau. Although the system is set up to be user friendly, it is vitally important that precise steps are followed. Many businesses are finding that this system, added to the multitude of other back office duties, results in mass confusion. A mistake with the Arizona Everify requirement can result in possible suspension or even the loss of a company’s business license. This thought can send chills down the back of a business owner.

The HR Consulting team at National PEO can alleviate that fear as they work to process each new hire and rehire made by a company. The team will follow up on any discrepancies in a timely manner in order to comply with federal deadlines. Businesses appreciate the fact that the HR Consulting team also answers employees’ questions and audits the I-9’s and employee filing system.

Additionally, National PEO keeps businesses informed of changes to federal and state laws related to immigration. This comprehensive service means that businesses are relieved of unnecessary stress and they can focus on the duties that bring in profits instead of time consuming administrative tasks.

National PEO has the expertise and professional team members that can help any business run more efficiently and therefore, more profitably. They provide services ranging from employee handbooks to compensation analysis, Arizona Everify and beyond. Besides having extensive knowledge of laws and regulations, National PEO HR Consulting professionals can also assist businesses with such things as document translations or even Spanish speaking tutorials for staff and management. Whatever Human Resource need a business has, National PEO has a solution that will result in a higher profit margin.

National PEO works to help businesses have more time to spend doing profit-producing activities and less time in the back office working on administrative tasks. Their renowned HR Consulting services include a wide range of the basic to the unexpected. Small to mid-sized companies across Arizona and the nation have found National PEO is unmatched in its professionalism and extensive knowledge. Services offered range from employee handbooks to compensation analysis, and even Arizona Everify compliance requirement services. In essence, National PEO works with companies to fulfill Human Resource needs, remedy problems and provide solutions.

Archangel is the largest personal safety system currently deployed within the UK. Originally conceived in 1998 and marketed as ‘Communicare’ by Argyll – www.argyll-loneworker.co.uk – the UK leader in lone worker monitoring, Archangel has developed significantly and currently supports over 30,000 end users managing key risks that span multiple industry sectors. In 2010, Archangel’s backbone technology was instrumental in assisting Argyll when, following extensive trials, they became the police preferred specification for use in domestic violence applications.

Archangel is the first fully integrated wide area personal safety monitoring system and is a comprehensive, secure, service platform designed for use by monitoring centres (e.g. call centres; CCTV; Telecare; or BS5979 Alarm Receiving Centre’s), delivering healthcare, personal safety and security services for commercial operators, employers and public sector agencies in pursuit of their duty of care under current health & safety legislation and emerging lone worker standards such as BS8484.

Personal risk management requires more than just software or devices it requires an holistic approach to all aspects of supporting people while working or living alone. This is why Archangel is designed to satisfy five key principals:

Archangel assists in the measurement and control of risk through the introduction of safer working practices for remote/mobile workers and discreet remote monitoring of vulnerable persons.

This aids:

Staff to take control of the risk at source by carrying out their own dynamic risk assessment and by enabling them to take sensible proactive measures that ensure their own safety Monitoring providers and responders to co-ordinate and deliver effective and appropriate assistance exactly where it’s required Employers – to achieve compliance with current Health & Safety legislation Carers – to provide discreet and comprehensive support for vulnerable individuals under their care.

Support is achieved through the combined use of layered, interactive and time based risk management software; electronic location information management; a choice of appropriate mobile devices and applications plus secure Internet services for local day-to-day management. The system is designed to provide care and response support to a wide range of vulnerable persons irrespective of the device being carried or their geographic location and without placing unnecessary resource burdens on response teams.

Archangel provides end users with simplicity of use, operational suitability and technical competence. Fundamentally it provides vital comfort, remote dedicated support and reassurance of safety.

With the recent drastic increase in the consequences for firms contravening health and safety legislation, Tom Morton, CEO of Argyll, the UK’s largest lone worker solutions provider, advises why organisations should mitigate their risks associated with lone working.

The release of new sentencing guidelines for courts (issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council in February 2010) have raised the stakes for companies convicted of corporate manslaughter offences. The new law applies to every organisation within the UK and provides an effective route to securing a conviction in the event of a fatality, if it can be proved that a company was in breach of the ‘Duty of Care’ owed by the organisation to its workers by virtue of the way in which its activities are managed or organised. In addition to the existing threat of civil actions being taken by staff, unions or family members, and the costs of defending any action taken, the fine recommended for a public corporate manslaughter prosecution to be imposed on any business is now £500,000 or greater. Not only will the organisation face this unprecedented fine, but it may also be burdened with the additional costs of a remedial order and a publicity order.

Fines of this scale can have a devastating impact on small and medium-sized businesses with modest turnover and profit figures. In the case of very large businesses, the fines issued could be much higher than this minimum and the guideline suggests these will reach into millions of pounds.

However, these financial penalties are only part of the story. Courts are also empowered to issue remedial orders, requiring businesses to address any specific health and safety failures that it hasn’t already dealt with, but the final coup de grace is potentially the most damaging element of any corporate manslaughter sentence: the publicity order.

A business served with such an order is required to make a public announcement giving details of the offence committed and the financial penalty imposed. The court will dictate how this announcement must be made but it is expected that national and local press announcements and a message on the business’s own website will be usual practice. The reputational damage caused by a publicity order could end up costing businesses (especially large household names) far more, and take much longer to recover from, than any financial penalty the court can issue. The potential costs of complying with a remedial order and publicity order will not be taken into account by the court in setting the fine and will be a further drain on businesses that may already be facing unprecedented financial pressure.

In the 2008 TUC safety representatives survey, working alone was the sixth main hazard of concern for safety representatives. Recent research shows that 1.3 million people are attacked in the UK every year at work and assaults are increasing by 5% every two years. The rise in workplace violence now costs UK industry hundreds of millions of pounds in compensation and the loss of more than 3 million working days each year.

Health & Safety has been pushed to the top of the corporate agenda by the newly introduced legislation that threaten grave legal and financial consequences for those not exercising an adequate ‘Duty of Care’ for staff exposed to risk whilst operating as Lone Workers. In a nutshell, Trustees and Directors must consider every possibility when assessing the risk faced by Lone Workers and including the impact risk to the organisation.

According to company owner Jim Shelton, “After more than three years of hard work and several set-backs, our program is finally ready for the PEO markets we have been trying to help”.

“The mid-market PEO will be able to breathe a refreshing sigh of relief with this program designed specifically for the PEO. In particular, smaller PEOs struggle to keep a workers’ comp policy, let alone afford it. Why? Simply put, workers compensation carriers have attached a negative stigma to PEO’s, requiring high collateral, deposits or “fixed” premiums based on an estimated annual premium, hurting the already beleaguered cash flow needed for the PEO’s day to day operations. Larger PEOs tie up precious cash flow and credit; that won’t happen with PML’s program”.

PML Risk Management, Inc. is trying to change the relationship between workers comp carriers and the PEOs who honestly and effectively manage their risk.

PML Risk Management, Inc, is not a professional employer organization (PEO), but the company owner has over 24 years experience as a PEO owner; fully aware of the workers compensation challenges and pitfalls facing the mid-market PEO, as well as the larger PEO.

This unique PEO program will offer qualified and accepted PEOs “Guaranteed Cost” Individual or Master Coordinated policies; all fifty states, No Collateral, little or NO deposit and a monthly reportable Pay-As-You-Go plan.

As an incentive, the program offers the PEO a profit-sharing dividend for keeping their loss ratio 40% or less. This program is the competitive blast of fresh air PEOs have been looking for.

If you would like more information about our PEO specific workers compensation program being offered through PML Risk Management, Inc, please visit www.peoworkerscompensation.com or call our licensed managing agent for more details ((210)) 380*2051.